Hat and coat rack.



Patented Oct. I5, 1901. T. c. RICHARDS.

HAT AND GOAT RACK.

(Application filedMay 17. 1901,)

2 Sheets-Sheet II.

(No Model.)

J E-I EE WITNESSES N0, 684,46B. Patented Oct. 15, I90l. T. B. RICHARDS.

HAT AND COAT RACK.

(Applicatibn filed May 17. 1901. Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

v I E [N VEN TOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS C. RICHARDS, OF WINSTED, CONNECTICUT.

HAT AND COAT RACK.

SZPECIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 684,461, dated October 15, 1901. Application filed May 17. 1901. Serial No. 60,743. [No model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. RICHARDS, of lVinsted, in the county of Litchiield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat and Coat Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in hat and coat racks, the object being to provide a device of this character in which the several parts are detachably connected, thus permitting them to be packed in small compass for shipment.

A further object is to so connect the supportingframe by expanding spring books that the latter take up the wear in the Wood and are retained in any position by their frictional contact with the frame.

\Vith these-ends in view myinvention consists in the parts and combinations of parts, as will be more fully explained, and pointed out in the claims. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View in perspective of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a View in section taken through one of the screw-rods, and Fig. 3 is a similar view taken through one of the hooks. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are views illustrating slight modifications.

The main frame comprises two strips A and A of wood, ornamented or plain, as desired, and of any length, and two or more screw-rods B, each of which is provided on its upper end with an eye a, by means of which the rack is suspended from hooks or nails secured to the wall or other support. The upper strip A of the frame is provided with a smooth transverse hole for the free passage of each screw-rod, and the screwthreaded ends of the latter are screwed into the lower strip A, thus operating to unite the two strips. With the construction thus far described it will be seen that the two strips A and A are connected solely by the screw-bolts, the upper strip. being loose on the bolts and retained against displacement by the eyes of the bolts. The two strips thus connected are provided on their adjacent edges with recesses or pockets 0 for the ends of the spring-hooks C. The recesses or pockets c in the two strips are arranged in pairs, each recess or pocket in the upper strip alining with a recess or pocket in the lower strip for the attachment of a spring-hook. The spring'hooksC are preferably made of round wire, and while I prefer them of the shape and construction shown the latter are immaterial so long as the hook is provided with upper and lower bent ends (Z to enter the recesses or pockets in the strips. These hooks normally operate to hold the upper strip up against the eyes of the screw-rods, and by their expansive action all wear on the wood is taken up and by the friction the hooks will be retained in any position in which they may be placed. To assemble the rack, the upper strip A is slid on the screw-rods B until it engages the eyes, and then by inserting the bent end of one member of the hook in its pocket and compressing the hook the hooks may be secured in place, or, if preferred, the hooks maybe first secu red in their respective pockets and the parts locked together and the proper tension imparted to the spring-hooks by the screw-rods.

In Fig. 4 I have shown two spacing-blocks D located between the upper and lower strips. These spacing-blocks are loose on the screw-rods and are held against turning by the contact of their ends with the upper and lower strips. These blocks hold the strips parallel and at a proper distance apart, and thus prevent accidental or undue compression on the spring-hooks.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the hooks constructed so that they can be folded or turned to rest wholly between the strips, thus permitting the frames to lie close and flat when packed for shipment.

In the constructions heretofore illustrated the holes or pockets are formed in the adjacent faces of the strips. In Fig. 6 I have shown screw-eyes E secured in the outer faces of the strips to receive the ends of the hooks. In Fig. 7 I have shown struck-up sheet-metal bearings E, forming bearipgsfor the hooks, while in Fig. 8' the several bearings are formed in a continuous ornamental sheet-metal strip E secured to and wholly strips.

In several of the forms I have shown small hooks F attached to the outer and under faces of the lower strip.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in the relative arrangement of parts herein shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. HenceI would have it understood that I do not wish to confine myself to the exact construction of parts herein shown and described; but, I

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

'1. A hat and coat rack comprising two strips, one movable relativelyto the other, means forlimiting the separation of the strips, each strip provided with vertically-disposed bearings and hooks provided with vertical pintles spring-pressed in opposite directions and mounted in the vertical bearings of the respective strips.

2. A hat and coat rack comprising two strips, one movable relatively to the'other,

bolts secured to the lower strip and passing freely through the upper strip and provided at their upper ends with eyes, each strip provided with vertical bearings and spring-hooks having vertical pintles mounted inthe vertical bearings of the respective strips, said pintles being pressed by the hooks in a direction to separate the strips.

3. A hat and coat rack comprising two strips, movable relatively to each other and provided with vertical recesses or pockets, bolts secured to the lower strip and passing loosely through the upper strip and provided at theirnpper ends with eyes and springhooks provided at their ends with vertical pintles entering the vertical recesses or pockets in the strips, said pintles being pressed by the spring-hooks, in directions to separate the strips.

4. A hat and coat rack comprising two strips, screw-bolts secured to the lower strip and passing through the upper one and pro-' vided at their upper ends with eyes, and spring-hooks secured to and engaging the adjacent faces of the strips, and pressing them in a direction toseparate them, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A hat and coat rack comprising two strips, spacing-blocks located between and.

Witnesses:

JAMES W. THOMPSON, GEO. W. LAMB. 

